Furniture-caster.



A. L. LAIRD.

FURN| TURE CASTER. APPLICATION .man 1AN.3,1917.

1,221,750., Patented Apr. 3, 1917.

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NVENTOR WITNESSES faQ-wwf ABRAHAM LINCOLN LAIRD, or ooaL CITY, INDIANA.

FURNITURE-CASTELL.

Application led January 3, 1917.

To all whom it mag/concern.

Be it known that l, Amaai-IAM L. LAIRD, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Coal City, in the county of Owen and State of Indiana, have invented new anduseful lmprovements in Furniture-Casters, of which l the following is a specification.

This invention relates to casters primarily designed'for use in connection with heavy articles of furniture, such as stoves and the like that occasionally need to be moved from place to place, and cannot be left standing on the casters. w l v e Itis the principal object of this invention t0 provide a caster capable of moving within the legof the furniture whenits use is not desired, thereby permittingl the lfurniture to be supported by the legs thereof, the caster being capable of assuming anactive position, and locked in an active position when its use is desired. e

The nature and advantages ofthe inven tion will-be better understood from the foln lowing description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, the invention residing in theconstruction, combina'- tion and arrangement of parts as claimed.

In the drawing forming part of this specification like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views and where- 1n:-

Figure 1 is a view showing a portion of a furniture leg with the caster projected for use.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. d l

Fig. 3 is a sectionalview throughk thel leg showing the casterpositioned therein when its use is not desired.

Fig. Ais a detail sectional view showing the caster locked within the leg.

Referring more particularly to the drawing in detail A indicates the leg of an article of furniture which may be of any suitable character, the leg being preferably round in cross section, although the cross sectional configuration may vary without departing from the spirit of the invention. r1`he leg is hollow for a portion ofits length to receive a cylindrical member 10, which is open at one end to receive the plug 11 between the parallel limbs 12 of which the caster roller 13 is journaled. The plug 11 is provided with a groove 14 which receives the eXtremity of a threaded fastening element 15 which is passed through a suitable opening in the i Specification of Letters Patent.

ratenteaapn a, iai v.

Serial No. 140,428.

cylindrical member 10, the threaded element 1G while permitting the yoke 11 to rotate within the opening of said member, prevents the caster proper frombecoming casually separated therefrom. The leg A is provided with diametrically opposed grooves 17 which receive the tongues 18 on the cylindrical member 10, whereby the latter is guided in its sliding vadjustment within the leg, and at the same time prevented from turning therein. When use of the caster is not desired it is positioned withinthe leg A in the manner shown in Fig. 3, but when it is desired to move the furniture the article is lifted a slight distance from the floor'or surface to permit the caster to assume an active position.

. With a view of locking the caster projected in any active position, the member 10 is recessed as at 19 to receive a locking ele4 ment 20 that is normally positioned within a recess 20a provided in the leg A, and registering with'the recesslQ of the member 10 when the latter is projected in the manner shown in Fig. V1. The locking element 20 is carried by one end of a stem 20", the latter being horizontally disposed and mounted to slide through an opening in the leg A. The stem 20b also slides through an opening in a leaf spring 22, which is normally bowed and arranged within the recess 2()a of the leg. The spring as is obvious is interposed between the. wall of the recess 20a and the locking element 20, and is tensioned to exert a pressure upon thelocking element 2() so as to normally tend; to project this 4element from within the, recess 20,c toan active position. A knob 21 is carried by the stem 2Ob whereby the latter may be easily manipulated to withdraw the locking element 20 from the recess 20?l in the member l0, when it is desired to allow the caster in its entirety to assume an inactive position within the leg A as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The knob 21 is hollow for a portion of its length for the receptionA of the projected portion of the stem 20h, this construction being provided to permit the knob' 21, which is pivotally mounted upon the stem 2Gb, to assume an inclined position with respect to the leg A when the caster is in use,`and to assume a true horizontal position in the manner shown in Fig. A to hold the locking element 20 within the recess 20a of the leg when the caster is positioned within the leg. A plate 23 is secured to the leg A, and is bifurcated Pio v*Within the notch 24- of the plate Q3.

at its lower end to straddle the stem 201. rlfhe plate is provided With a notch ,24 at an appropriate point in its length to receive the greatest tension, so-that when the easter gravitates to an active position, the spring functions to forcibly drive the locking element 20 into the recess 19 ofthe caster. This however takes place subsequent to the removal of the knob 2l out of the notch 2%. The open end of the knob is inclined to properly engage the plate 23 when the parts are in active position as shown in Fig. 1.

`ln practice, assuming that the caster is positioned Within the leg asshoivn in Fig. 8, the article of furniture islifted to permit the caster to assume an active position, and the knob 21 disengaged from the slotl 24E to allow the locking element to be forcibly projeeted Within the recess 19 When the latter brought into registration With the recess 20a in the leg, whereupon the caster is locked in an active position. After the article of furniture has been movedl to its proper destination, the locking element 20 is retracted into the recess 20a, and locked therein by adjusting the knob 21 to position the same Subsequentto'this operation the easter will be 'moved Within the leg ofthe furniture as the latter is Vlowered to the -floor or surface.

'While itis believed that from the foregoing description the nature and advantages of the inventionrivill be readily apparent,

'desire to have it understood that what is herein shown and described is merely illusvinvention to which l do not limit myself,

and'that such changes may be resorted to when desired as fall Within the scope of what is claimed.Y

What is claimed is f Yl. A device of the class described comprising a caster carrying member slidably fitted within the leg of an article of furniture, said member being provided With a recess, a stem slidable through an opening in the leg, a spring pressed locking element carried by the stem 'and adapted to be projected Within the recess of said member When the latter assumes an active position, a knob carried by the projected extremity of the stem and pivotally mounted thereon, and capable of assuming an inclined or a horizontal position, and said knob coperating with said leg when in horizontal position to hold the locking element retracted in an inactive. position.

2. A device of the class described comprising a caster carrying member slidably itted ivithiirthe leg of an article of furniture,

means for guiding said member in its adjustments, said member being provided with a recess, a stem slidable through an opening in said leg, a spring pressed locking element carried by the stem and adapted to be projected Within the recess of the member when the latter assumes an active position, a knob pivotally mounted upon the projected extremity of said stem and having an inclined end portion, said leg having a notch to receive the edge of said knob when the latter is in one of its adjusted positions, whereby said locking element is held retracted in an inactive position.

3. A device of the class described comprising a caster carrying member slidably fitted Within the leg of an article of furniture, means for guiding said member in its adjustments, said leg having a recess, a stem slidable through an opening in the leg, a locking element carried by the stem and operating Within said recess, said member having a recess adapted to register with the recess in the leg when said member is in active position, means for manipulating the locking element and holding the latter in an inactive position Within the recess of the leg, and a spring arranged Within said recess and bearing against the locking element to project the latter into the recess of said member, when said locking element is released from the last mentioned means.

ABRAHAM LrNooLiv Lilian.

Copies of thisrpatent maybe obtained forV ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

